Officer's car killed immigrant returning from 2nd job, police say

An off-duty Lockport police officer was charged Monday night with reckless homicide and drunken driving in connection with a three-car crash that killed an emigrant from Vietnam who was driving home on the Stevenson Expressway from his second job.

Edward Stapinski, 34, was charged with one count each of reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence, said Andy Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.

Stapinski was driving south on Interstate Highway 55 near Cicero Avenue when his vehicle veered onto the left shoulder and struck the cement median barrier about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Illinois State Police said.

The vehicle catapulted over the median wall and struck head-on into a northbound car driven by Man K. Wong, state police said.

Stapinski's vehicle then rolled over and struck a third vehicle driven by a Chicago woman, state police said.

Wong, 29, who went by "Mike," was pronounced dead at 10:16 p.m. in Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Stapinski was taken to the same hospital in good condition, while the third driver was not hospitalized, state police said.

The collision shut down all lanes of inbound I-55 for about five hours while officials investigated and cleaned up debris.

Wong was driving to his Chinatown home from his weekend job at a restaurant in Bridgeview.

Wong's aunt Betty was upset to learn that the crash involved a police officer. "A police officer," she said in a strained voice before pausing. "What can I say?

"How would you feel if it was your family member who walked out the door and never came back home?" she said.

The Lockport Police Department had little to say other than to confirm that Stapinski was a police officer for seven years and had been injured in the crash. The department also extended its condolences to Wong's family.

Conklin said he didn't know what Stapinski's blood-alcohol level was at the time of the crash. Stapinski is expected to appear in Bond Court on Tuesday morning in the Bridgeview courthouse, Conklin said.

It marks at least the second time this year that there have been allegations that a drunken off-duty police officer was involved in a fatal crash on Chicago expressways. Joseph Frugoli, a Chicago police detective, was charged with reckless homicide and DUI after his SUV slammed into the rear of a car on southbound Dan Ryan Expressway in April. Two men in their early 20s were killed. Frugoli has pleaded not guilty.

Wong's brother, John, 27, said Wong usually worked seven days a week, installing computer software weekdays and at Ing's Palace restaurant weekends.

"He took care of his family," the brother said.

According to his aunt, Wong was of Chinese ancestry but was born in Vietnam. He immigrated as a boy to the United States in 1990, attended Northeastern Illinois University and loved to travel, jog and play basketball.

Wong's friend David Chen, 35, said Wong's father is dead and his mother lived with Wong and his wife. "He's a family person," Chen said. "He always took care of his family, especially his mom."

Relatives said Monday that Wong's wife, Yan Zhang, didn't yet know about the crash and that an uncle was planning to pick her up at work and tell her later in the day.